


Upper Class Ennui

by Cyan (vehicroids)



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, An AU in which basically Rose marries Konan and it all goes from there, Ballroom Dancing, F/M, Look if ToZ can play fast and loose with its canon so can I
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-10-12 18:51:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17473049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vehicroids/pseuds/Cyan
Summary: “I'm Sorey!” he said, then immediately winced. “I'm a, uh- the son of a… a provincial lard-” He shot up straighter, like someone had hit his back. “Lord!”Alright, definitely fishy.Rose wasn't fond of the fancy balls Konan threw. Thankfully, someone was there to change her mind.





	Upper Class Ennui

It had been five years to the day since Rose had gotten married. It was never for love; it was a political move to unite the Windriders and the Rolance empire. Rose didn't envision herself ever being married, and yet here she was, married to prince Konan. It was a leap from the wandering little girl she was when Brad found her, that was for sure.

She didn't see the Windriders all that much. If they were in Pendrago, they would make a little detour for a quick visit. They weren't in Pendrago often enough, and thus, Rose's company was mostly the people she could find in the castle.

Unfortunately for her, people took titles far too seriously. Rose trying to befriend ‘the help’ wasn't happening, no matter how many times she tried to insist she was once on their level. Marrying into royalty had its downsides.

Formal dinners were also not her thing. Eating while making polite chatter with the people around her was nothing compared to sharing curry around a campfire with her family. She missed the grabbing and fighting - that felt more genuine than the repressed air of the nobles. What could she do? This was what she had married into.

What she enjoyed the most was not the gifts she was adorned with, nor the company of her husband. What Rose loved was the grand parties that Rolance threw. There were people of all kinds that gathered to drink and eat and drink some more. A change of company was perfect for someone like Rose.

The downside was wearing an impractical dress to wade through the crowds in. Still, it concealed the daggers strapped to her legs: she would never trust the guards to protect her. Besides, one never knew when they might need a dagger.

She balanced a glass of wine in her hand as she looked around. Rich people in fancy clothes surrounded her, with polite chatter over estates and small laughs exchanged. It was pleasant right now, but Rose knew it would shift into talking behind backs. She did not want to hear that. She walked around, and that was when she saw something different.

A young man - probably around her age or a little younger - stood in a corner. He wore a strange garb: some kind of white robe with adventuring boots. He was talking to himself, though from the way he looked around, one would think he was talking to someone. Strange.

Rose sauntered over to him, but over the music, she couldn't hear what he was saying. He stopped as soon as he laid eyes on her. He smiled nervously at her, and visibly swallowed. Something didn't seem right, but Rose would get the truth one way or another.

“You're looking a little shifty over here. I don't think we've met,” Rose said. “I'm Rose.”

Her title was something she would never get used to, and something she never liked to use. Thankfully, the man didn't seem to notice her blunder.

“I'm Sorey!” he said, then immediately winced. “I'm a, uh- the son of a… a provincial lard-” He shot up straighter, like someone had hit his back. “Lord!”

Alright, definitely fishy. Sorey was sweating like he had toiled too long in the sun, and smiled like he had taken the last cookie from the jar. Rose put her hands on her hips and looked him over. His outfit wasn't from any province she knew, and he carried an ornamental sword. Just who was this man, and how did he get past the platinum knights? Hopefully, not with that painful display. Rose couldn't let him know she suspected anything, not yet.

She held out her hand for him to kiss, but he looked at it blankly for a moment. Then, as if instructed, he grabbed her hand and shook it. Yeah, no, definitely not a Lord's son. Rose had to stifle a laugh. It wasn't like she was a born royal, either.

“Do you wanna dance?” Rose asked.

She knew he was supposed to ask, but at the rate Sorey was going, it wouldn't happen. He looked around for a moment, almost as if he was considering his options, then nodded. He held out his arm for her to take, and she looped their arms together. She could feel muscle through his clothes, far too much for the son of a lord. The curiosity deepened.

Rose looked around for Konan, and wondered if he would understand if he saw them together. When she spotted him with other women, her worry was quelled. Could a girl not dance with an old friend? They weren't old friends, but Konan didn't need to know that. If he did ask, she only hoped Sorey wasn't around: he couldn't lie to save his life.

As soon as they got on the dance floor, Sorey clearly didn't know what to do. With a laugh, Rose guided his hands - one on her waist, and one holding her own hand. Sorey's face burned. How many girls had he danced with? From the looks of it, Rose was the first.

She led the dance, with Sorey desperately trying to follow her steps. He stared at the floor more than he looked at Rose. He held onto her too tightly, his hand sweaty in hers. Rose couldn’t help but smile at him; he seemed too stupid to be a spy. She couldn’t let her guard down, however - Sorey could have been just that good a liar.

After Sorey stepped on her toes for the fourth time, Rose realised she wasn’t going to get anything out of him this way. Time to switch tactics. She leaned in to tell him she needed air, then beckoned for him to follow. She wasn't sure if he was, not until she had made it out of the crowds and saw him behind her. He was talking quietly to himself again.

“You okay back there?” she asked as she turned to face him.

“Yeah! Why wouldn't I be?” Sorey asked.

“You keep talking to yourself.”

Sorey laughed nervously again, like she had caught him doing something. She was leaning less towards spy and more towards gentle moron at this point. She put a hand on her hip and tilted her head, watching him curiously. When she remembered this was not the proper position for a princess, she forced herself to relax. Stupid upper class standards.

It was just the two of them, standing in the castle’s courtyard. In the night, it was hard to see the gardens, but there wasn’t much to see. Rose wanted somewhere peaceful and private to corner Sorey that didn’t feel like trapping him. This would have to do. Sorey looked around before answering, taking it all in.

“Well, you know…” Sorey mumbled.

“What’s up?” Rose touched his shoulder. “You’re not used to this upper class crap, are you?”

“Sorey, it’s pointless, she can see right through you,” a voice she did not recognise said.

Rose screamed.

She looked around, but there was no one. At least, no one close enough for that voice to be so clear. She reached under her skirts and pulled out a dagger, before pressing it to Sorey’s throat. He leaned back, fear flashing in his eyes.

“I know you’re not some Lord’s son, and I know you’re not who you say you are, so cut the crap. Who are you, and what do you want? You’ve got five seconds to answer,” she said.

Rose tried to use her mercenary voice, but after years of not needing it, her voice cracked under pressure. She swallowed hard, staring right into Sorey’s eyes. He fumbled with words, babbling, trying to say  _ something _ .

“I’m-” Sorey’s voice was a squeak and he took a shallow breath. “My name really is Sorey, but I’m the Shepherd.”

Rose stopped. She had heard rumours of the Shepherd, but they were bullshit, they had to be. There was no such thing. She pressed the blade harder against his throat, and he gasped. He looked down at the blade, frozen in fear.

“Bullshit. Tell me who you really are,” Rose spat.

“Wow, because no one saw this plan backfiring,” a voice said, different from the last. This one sounded more bored, and more feminine.

“Edna, that’s enough,” a third voice chimed in.

“And who keeps talking?!”

Rose grew more frantic. How was the voice so clear? How was Sorey doing that? Her heart pounded against her ribs. She never thought she would have to fight again, not while she was supposed to be safe behind castle walls. Thankfully, it seemed her confidence was enough to make Sorey waver.

“They’re my friends, they’re seraphim. Please, just let me explain,” Sorey said.

Rose shouldn’t trust him. She should have cut him down then and there. There was a sincerity in his tone, and somehow, Rose believed he wasn’t lying. She removed the dagger from his throat and stepped back. She frowned at him.

“Alright, you get one chance to explain. I might be in a dress, but I’m not afraid of getting dirty if I think you’re lying to me, don’t you forget that,” Rose said.

Sorey nodded. “I came here hoping to find you. Let me start from the beginning.”

**Author's Note:**

> I love Sorey/Rose don't @ me? Also it's mostly me being silly with my own little AU ahahah I forgot 90% of the canon details. Dw ToZ forgets its own canon
> 
> Come bug me on [Tumblr](http://vehicroids.tumblr.com) || [Twitter](https://twitter.com/vehicroids)


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